English Literature

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 Protagonist – the chief character in the novel, now
almost synonymous with ‘hero’ or ‘heroine’, who may
be locked in a struggle with the antagonist.

 Antagonist – the opponent of the protagonist, the

chief character in the novel, where two figures are
engaged in a struggle with each other.

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 Circumlocution - words and descriptions which take
roundabout ways of approaching or hinting at a
subject rather than addressing it directly, either for
comic or ironic effect, or to avoid embarrassing topics.

 Caricature - a grotesque or ludicrous rendering of a

character, achieved by the exaggeration of personality
traits.

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 Centre of consciousness - technique of telling the story
wholly or chiefly from the point of view of one
individual, though the narrative is still third-person.

 Omniscient narrator - the narrator of a story who

knows in a godlike way every detail of the characters’
lives, motives, intentions, desires, thoughts, actions…

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 Theme – the abstract subject of a literary work: its
central idea or ideas.

 Motif - a topic raised at several points in a literary

work, of lesser significance than a theme. Dancing,
walking, reading, letter-writing, clothes and food all
serve as motifs in ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Characters are
distinguished from each other by their attitudes to
such interests or activities.

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 Aphorism - a generally accepted truth or principle
expressed in a short and pithy sentence.

 It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single

man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want
of a wife.

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 Authorial intervention - a moment in a narrative when
the narrator ‘talks’ directly to the reader.

 Implied reader – every text contains features which

hint at or imply the kind of reader at which it is aimed.
These features may be to do with subject matter, tone
of voice, assumptions as to shared interests,
knowledge…

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 Irony - saying one thing while you mean another

 Parody - an imitation of a specific work of literature, or

literary style or genre, devised so as to ridicule its
characteristic features.
 A good example is Mr Collins’s letter.

 Satire - literature which exhibits or examines vice and

folly and makes them appear ridiculous or
contemptible.
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 Foreshadow - the capacity of a narrative to hint at
future events.

 Epistolary novel - a novel in which the story is told

entirely through letters sent by those participating or
observing events.

 Note! ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is not an epistolary novel,

but it does contain many letters.

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